Pantograph-type receiving apparatus



Dec. 28, 1965' L, HM I 3,225,702

PANTOGRAPH-TYPE RECEIVING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 24, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

l m/22W 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 24, 1964 R 3 w mm N W M l .w k m 2 United States Patent Office Patented Dec. 28, 1965 3,225,702 PANTOGRAPH-TYPE RECEIVING APPARATUS James L. Hill, 2448 Hilltop Drive, Bremerton, Wash. Filed Jan. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 340,109 7 Claims. (Cl. 104114) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates generally to replenishment-at-sea operations and, in particular, to apparatus for receiving objects transferred from one station to another during this replenishment operation.

One manner of transferring objects between a pair of spaced stations, such as a pair of moving ships, is to rig in-haul and out-haul lines between the ships and also to provide a tension line capable of maintaining sufficient line tautness to permit a trolley, which supports the object, to be moved from one of the Ships to the other. Usually, the tension line is known as a highline and its tautness is controlled by a winch and other associated mechanism normally located on the supply or delivering ship. The in-haul and out-haul lines each may have one end secured to the trolley and the other end secured and wound on a winch which may be located on either or both ships. The trolley, usually, is provided with rollers riding the highline and also with a suitable strongback adapter for attachment to a load so that the load can be picked up at one ship and, by means of the haul lines, moved to the other.

In a more sophisticated, presently-used arrangement, the system incorporates what are known as sliding blocks which, in brief, are slideably or rollably mounted for vertical reciprocation along a vertical stanchion or column. The sliding blocks carry transfer or receiving heads adapted to vertically and horizontally track the highline as the object is being transferred. Also, the heads are specially arranged to safely capture the incoming load.

When the load is captured, the head, which during reception is at an elevated level, is lowered as an elevator to the weather deck level of the ship where the load can be more safely transferred to other mechanism capable of conveying it to storage. One advantage of this arrangement is that it eliminates any need for transferring the load from one mechanism to another at an elevated level on a ship. Instead, the trolley maintains its secure arrangement of the load during the whole interval from the time it is attached at the weather deck level of one ship until it releases its load at the weather deck level of the other ship. Obviously, when the loads are bare weapons or ammunition of an inherently dangerous nature, this feature assumes substantial significance.

Although a variety of receiving heads have been proposed and successfully operated, present mechanisms appear relatively complicated, requiring precise adjustment for successful operation and also being quite costly to manufacture due to the need for observing very close tolerances. Further, present mechanisms are quite sophisticated in their operation and a malfunction of any one of their many parts can put the entire apparatus out of commission and require many hours to repair and adjust before it can be put back into service. Such a difficulty is particularly accentuated when the apparatus is utilized for replenishment at sea since repair at sea by a combat or supply ships force is usually not a particularly feasible proposition.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simplified replenishment-at-sea receiving head mechanism riding in suitable tracks (not shown).

or apparatus capable of safely receiving a transfer trolley and its load.

A related object is to provide such an apparatus capable of transferring bare weapons between moving ships at sea.

Other objects are to provide apparatus for the type under consideration, the apparatus being formed of relatively few, simple parts which require no machining for close tolerances, the components of the apparatus further being relatively inexpensive and of a type which can be easily replaced and repaired.

Yet another object more directly concerned with the function of the present apparatus is to so arrange the parts as to avoid any abrupt change in direction as the trolley is being captured, the elimination of direction changes reducing shock which has been experienced due to angular acceleration.

Other objects and their attendant advantages will become apparent in the ensuing description.

The objects of the present invention are accomplished by utilizing apparatus in the form of a pantograph provided at its outborad end with a pair of toggle jaws to capture the trolley as it is being received. A buffer mechanism is disposed across the pantograph as diagonal and, when the trolley exerts its force on the pantograph, the buffer contracts to cushion and absorb the trolley and load forces. The apparatus, preferably, also includes special mechanisms for assuring proper tracking of the tension high line by the pantograph structure, as well as mechanisms for directing the motion of the trolley into the toggle jaws or trolley trap. Further, a mechanical cam means is incorporated to assure proper closing of the jaws. Other features, as well as a more complete understanding of the invention can be better derived from the detailed description which is to follow.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing of which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the transfer head of the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are side elevations showing first the trolley approaching the transfer head and next the trolley in its captured position, both of these views omitting a pair of horizontal alignment arms for purposes of clarity, and

FIG. 4 is a suitable buffer mechanism for the pantograph.

Referring to the drawings, the transfer head proper includes an outrigger member 1 by means of which the head normally is mounted on a sliding block which, as has been previously described, is an elevator-type of The tracks usually are formed in vertical stanchions to permit the transfer head to be lowered to the weather deck level of a ship for physical attachment of its trolley load. Of course, the sliding head then can be raised to an elevated position for transfer, and the same type of operation may occur at the other ship upon receipt of the load. Also, it is to be appreciated that the'transfer head to be described can be utilized either at a delivering station or a receiving one.

One particular factor to be noted is that outrigger member 1 is physically attached to the sliding block on a vertical axis so that the outrigger can swing horizontally in a relatively free manner to permit its supported head mechanism to maintain constant alignment with the tensioned highline, this alignment being customarily referred to as the tracking function of the head. To permit the pivotal mounting, outrigger 1 is provided with suitable bearings 2 and 3. Structurally, outrigger 1 is formed with a box-shaped rear portion, provided with suitable flanges by means of which it is pivotally secured to the sliding block. Also, the outrigger has an extension portion 4 projecting outwardly (outboard) of its rear portion, the outboard extension providing support for other members to be identified.

A tensioned line, known as a high line 6, as well as an in-haul line 7 are reeved through the apparatus and then pass outwardly across the intervening space between the replenishing ships. To form a path for highline 6, a highline sheave 8 is rotatably carried by outrigger 1. Two other sheaves 9 and 11 also are employed, sheave 9 being mounted on portion 4 of the outrigger and sheave 11 being mounted in a special manner which will be considered later. The high line also supports a trolley 12 which mounts a set of rollers 13 riding the line. The object to be supported by the trolley is not shown in the drawings, although it normally would be secured to a trolley adapter 14.

Inhaul line 7 is passed around an inhaul sheave 16 carried by the outrigger member and also around a fairlead sheave 17 and a lead sheave 18, both of these latter sheaves being carried by portion 4 of the outrigger member.

A cam roller 19 is mounted at the outer end of the outrigger, this roller having a particular function which will be described later.

It also should be noted from FIG. 1 that the mechanism utilizes a pair of horizontal alignment arms 21 and 22, the purpose of which is to horizontally index the transfer head during its descent on the sliding block from an elevated transfer position to its lowered position at the weather deck level of the ship. These arms are pivotally supported by outrigger member 1 to permit a swinging movement in a horizontal plane. As may be noted, the

inner end of each arm is provided wit-h a horizontal cam roller 23, although the cam tracks or guards for these rollers are not illustrate-d. In the customary use of these horizontal arms, cam rollers 23 are provided to engage vertical cam tracks or guides which are carried by the vertical column or stanchion on which the sliding block is reciprocably mounted. Obviously, since outrigger 1 of the present apparatus is attached to the sliding block, when the block is lowered, the cams engage with their tracks and the tracks are so shaped as to swing the mechanism as a whole from any undesired angular position back to a normal position relative to the column. The purpose in so indexing. the transfer head is to align its load with a component lift or with whatever other mechanism may be utilize-d for receiving and conveying the object to its storage area.

The features of the invention are more directly concerned with what has been termed the pantograph structure utilized to physically receive the trolley, absorb its forces and guide it to its captured position. Referring to FIG. 2, it will be noted that its pantograph structure is formed of a first pair of lever arms 26 and 27, these arms having their inboard ends pivotally secured on a common horizontal axis by a head support flange 28 which mounts a hinge pin 29 as an arm supporting member. A second pair of lever arms 31 and 32 are pivotally coupled to arms 26 and 27 by pins 30 and 35, this second pair also having their outboard ends pivotally hung on a hinge pin 33 so as to pivot about a common horizontal axis. It will be noted that arms 31 and 32 are specially shaped to provide the so-called trolley trap functioning as a pair of toggle jaws. The particular shaping and function of the jaws will be described shortly.

The ability of the pantograph or quadrilateral formed of the first and second pairs of arms to cushion and absorb the trolley forces is achieved by utilizing a buffer mechanism generally designated by numeral 34, and one of the significant features of the invention is the fact that this buffer mechanism extends across the quadrilateral as a diagonal. Obviously, as the quadrilateral expands (i.e., from the FIG. 2 position to that of FIG. 3) its diagonal must contract or shorten. The buffer mechanism, therefore, is of the type which resists the shortening of the diagonal so as to cushion the impact of the trolley.

Considering the structural aspects of these various elements in greater detail, it first may be noted in FIG. 1 that most of the parts are in duplicate. Thus, it will be seen that there are forward and after arms 26, and the same applies to arms 27. Similarly there are forward and after sections of arms 32, these sections being spaced apart sufliciently to permit trolley 12 to enter between them. Arm 31, however, is a single element, although, at its outer end, it mounts a pair of vertical rollers 36, which, when arm 31 swings downwardly straddle highline 6.

Buffer mechanisms 34 also are provided as a pair, and it will be seen in FIG. 1 that the inboard end of each mechanism is pivotally mounted on previously-mentioned hinge pin 29. The outboard end of these mechanisms, however, is pivotally mounted on a hinge pin 37 supported by arm 31 (FIG. 2). Most suitably, the pivotal axis of pin 37 is disposed in proximity to the pivotal axis ofhinge pin 33 of the second pair of arms 31 and 32. The relative disposition of these hinge pins is such that hinge pin 37 is above and inboard of hinge pin 33 when the toggle jaws are open and (FIG. 2) above and outboard of pin 33 when the jaws are closed (FIG. 3). To stabilize the entire structure, arms 26 are coupled together by a pair of diagonal braces 38.

As already indicated, arms 31 and 32 are, in essence, toggle jaw components which open and close to form a trolley trap for capturing or releasing the trolley. Arm 31, as seen in FIG. 1, is formed with an inner rectangular portion 31a which is mounted on hinge pin 33, while the outboard end of this arm is formed with a pair of outwardly extending flanges 31b each mounting a previouslymentioned vertical roller 36. The mounting for these rollers may be by any conventional means. It is to be particularly noted that the flanges 3117 each has an interior curved surface 41 which, in effect, is a camming surface the function of which will be considered in conjunction with a description of the operation of the mechanism as a whole.

Arms 32 also are specially shaped. First, it will be seen that each of these arms is formed with a flange 42 providing bearings for receiving the pin on which high line tracking sheave 11 is rotatably mounted. Flanges 42 are in close proximity to hinge pin 33 by means of which arms 31 and 32 are interconnected so that the pass of the highline tracking sheave is close to the throat of the trolley trap or toggle jaws. Similarly, hinge pin 33 extends through specially formed flange portions provided on both arm 31 and arm 33.

The outboard portions of arms 32 each is formed with a flat surface 43, this surface being provided to engage rollers 13 of the trolley as the trolley is being captured and, further, as seen in FIG. 3, the flat surface physically supports the trolley by means of its rollers when the trolley is in its finally-captured position. The trolley then is held by means of'the flat surface as well as curved surfaces 41 which bears against the outboard roller of the trolley.

Another functional shaping feature of each arm 32 is the provision on its lower inboard surface of a curved cam track 44. As may be noted, this cam track is disposed to receive cam roller 19 carried by outrigger 1. More specifically, as the trolley forces the mechanism rearwardly by pressing against the throat of the toggle jaws, cam roller 19 presses jaw 32 upwardly into its closed position. When the trolley reaches its finallycaptured position, roller 32 is caught in a circular portion 44a of surface 44 so as to maintain the closed position mechanically. Thus, the use of cam roller 19 and cam surfaces 44 and 44a is first to positively assure the closing of jaws 32 and next to maintain the jaws position.

Buffer mechanisms 34 may be of various types although the type illustrated in FIG. 4 is presently preferred b with a bearing 56 to receive hinge pin 37 by means of which it is pivotally mounted on arm 31. The mechanism further includes an outer cylinder 57 which, at its inboard end, is provided with a bearing 58 for receiving hinge pin 29. As may be noted, inner cylinder 52 is sealed into position within outer cylinder 57 by suitable O-rings 59. In the customary manner, a cavity 61 is provided between the two cylinders. Also, at the upper end of inner cylinder 52 is an oil return valve 62 and, inboard of the oil return valve is an oil reserve chamber 63 which normally is closed-off from the remainder of the structure by valve 62 which mounts a coil spring 65 for this purpose. The function of this mechanism is rather conventional in that pressure tending to telescope piston 51 further into cylinder 52 is resisted by oil pressure which must leave the inner cylinder by metering orifices 53.

Buffer mechanisms 34 also mount a spring 64 which bears at one end against the outboard portion of inner cylinder 52 and at the other end against a flange 65' carried by the piston rod. Such a spring can be utilized to maintain the toggle jaws of the trolley trap in an open position. Thus, the spring acts to press piston rod 54 outwardly and this outward force acting upon hinge pin 37 tends to hold the jaws open. Air pressure applied to the buffer may be used to accomplish the same purpose.

The operation of the present transfer head best can be understood by considering the manner in which it is brought into and finally captured by the trolley trap. FIG. 2 illustrates the situation in which the trolley is about to enter the trolley trap from a position of about 30 below the horizontal. At this interval of time, the trolley, of course, is being pulled into the trap by in-haul line 7 and it is riding highline 6. As will be appreciated, the trolley is being pulled directly toward the path of in-haul lead sheave 18. Also, the opened trolley trap has been disposed in the proper horizontal and vertical position to receive the trolley by means of the highline tracking function of the apparatus. Thus, highline 6, due to its engagement with highline tracking sheave 11 and lead sheave 9, is capable of swinging the mechanism into the desired receiving position. The degree of depression of the highline and the head is dependent upon such factors as the weight of the load, the tension on the highline and the particular elevation of the elevators during their replenishment operation.

As the trolley enters the open jaws, the ultimate contact is between rollers 13 of the trolley and the curved edges of arms 32. Next, as the in-haul line continues to pull in on the trolley, the force presses pivot point 33 generally in an inward direction, the result being that the arms of the quadrilateral or pantograph expand and buffer mechanisms 34 contract. The contraction, of course, is utilized to cushion the force of the trolley and its load. It also should be particularly noted that the trolley in moving into its final captured position procedes along a straight line so that there are no angular accelerations produced by changes of its direction.

Concurrently with the expansion of the quadrilateral, arms 31 and 32 pivot from their open position of FIG. 2 to their closed position of FIG. 3. In this closed position, it will be noted that rollers 13 rest on flat surface 43 of arms or jaws 32. Arms 31 pivot to place curved surfaces 41 outwardly over the rollers to maintain the trolley within the trap. Also, cam roller 19 is caught in surface 44a of arm 32. At this junction, the trolley has been completely captured and the mechanism as a whole can be lowered by means of the previously-described sliding block (not shown) to permit the load to be detached at weather deck level. During the descent, cam rollers 23 of horizontal alignment arms 21 and 22 function to index mechanism and its captured trolley with its load directly over the receiving area.

Several significant functions occur when the trolley is pulled out of its captured position of FIG. 3 for travel to the other replenishing ship. First, the force pulling the trolley out is applied by an out-haul line 66 which is secured to the trolley as is in-haul line 7. As the trolley is pulled from its captured position, rollers 13 bear against curved surface 41 of arms 31 and press the rollers, as well as arm 31 upwardly. In the manner of a pantograph, the pressing of arm 31 upwardly causes the other arms to pivot from their FIG. 3 position to that of FIG. 2. Also, during the pivoting of the arms, buffer mechanisms 34 again are expanded so that the entire apparatus is cocked in condition to again receive a return load. As previously mentioned, buffer mechanism 34 is instrumental in maintaining the arms in their open position.

As now can be appreciated, the mechanism of the present head is unusually simple both in structure and operation, although it is especially proficient in cushioning the forces of incoming trolleys and loads to assure a safe handling of said hazardous loads as bare weapons or ammunition. None of the components require any special machining to achieve close tolerances, and as will be apparent, maintenance and repair can easily be accomplished.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1, Apparatus for receiving an object-carrying trolley secured to a suspended haul line and movable to a receiving station by said line along a suspended tension line, comprising,

first and second inboard level arms,

a first hinge means carried by said outrigger and pivotally supporting the inner ends of said inboard arms,

a first outboard arm having its inner end pivotally coupled to the outer end of said first inboard arm,

a second outboard arm having its inner end pivotally coupled to the outer end of said second inboard arm,

a second hinge means pivotally mounting the outer ends of said first and second outboard arms whereby said arms form a quadrilateral, contractable buffering means having one of its ends pivotally coupled to said first hinge means and its other end coupled to one of said outboard arms proximate to said second hinge means whereby said buffering means extends substantially as -a diagonal of said quadrilateral, haul line support means for guiding an incoming trolley into close proximity with said second hinge means,

the outboard arms each having outer portions formed into toggled jaws adapted to open and close in response to contractions and expansions of said quadrilateral,

one of said outer portions being formed to receive and support said incoming trolley and the other outer portion being formed for pivotally closing about the trolley whereby said outer portions can pivotably trap and support the trolley,

the force of said incoming trolley directed against said second hinge means causing said quadrilateral to expand and said diagonal to contract, and

said buffering means resisting said contractions for cushioning said force. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including means 7 for maintaining said pairs in a normally-open position.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said maintaining means is a resilient means'urging said buffer means into an extended disposition.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said outer por tion of the outboard arm that pivotally closes about the trolley is formed with a camming surface for holding said trolley in a received and captured position, and

said camming surface being adapted upon outward movement of the trolley to cause said jaws to open and said buffering means to lengthen into cocked positions.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said haul line support means is a sheave carried by said outrigger.

6. The appartus of claim 1 wherein said haul line support means is a sheave carried by said outrigger,

8 said apparatus further including: a tension line supporting sheave carried by said outrigger, and a tension line tracking sheave carried by one of said second pair of arms in proximity to its outer end, the passes of said tension line sheaves being substantially aligned with the pass of said haul line sheave. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of said jaws is provided with a pair of closely-spaced vertical rollers adapted to closely straddle said tension line when said jaws are closed.

No references cited.

ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

5 F. w. MONAGHAN, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING AN OBJECT-CARRYING TROLLEY SECURED TO A SUSPENDED HAUL LINE AND MOVABLE TO A RECEIVING STATION BY SAID LINE ALONG A SUSPENDED TENSION LINE, COMRPISING, FIRST AND SECOND INBOARD LEVEL ARMS, A FIRST HINGE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID OUTRIGGER AND PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING THE INNER ENDS OF SAID INBOARD ARMS, A FIRST OUTBOARD ARM HAVING ITS INNER INBOARD ARM, COUPLED TO THE OUTER END OF SAID FIRST INBOARD ARM, A SECOND OUTBOARD ARM HAVING ITS INNER END PIVOTALLY COUPLED TO THE OUTER END OF SAID SECOND INBOARD ARM, A SECOND HINGE MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTIGN THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND OUTBOARD ARMS WHEREBY SAID ARMS FORM A QUADRILATERAL, CONTRACTABLE BUFFERING MEANS HAVING ONE OF ITS ENDS PIVOTALLY COUPLED TO SAID FIRST HINGE MEANS AND ITS OTHER END COUPLED TO ONE OF SAID OUTBOARD ARMS PROXIMATE TO SAID SECOND HINGE MEANS WHEREBY SAID BUFFERING MEANS EXTENDS SUBSTANTIALLY AS A DIAGONAL OF SAID QUENDRILATERAL, HAUL LINE SUPPORT MEANS FOR GUIDING AN INCOMING TROLLEY INTO CLOSE PROXMITITY WITH SAID SECOND HINGE MEANS, THE OUTBOARD ARMS EACH HAVING OUTER PORTIONS FORMED INTO TOGGLED JAWS ADAPTED TO OPEN AND CLOSE IN RESPONSE TO CONTRACTIONS AND EXPANSIONS OF SAID QUADRILATERAL, ONE OF SAID OUTER PORTIONS BEING FORMED TO RECEIVE AND SUPPORT SAID INCOMING TROLLEY AND THE OTHER OUTER PORTION BEING FORMED FOR PIVOTALLY CLOSING ABOUT THE TROLLEY WHEREBY SAID OUTER PORTIONS CAN PIVOTABLY TRAP AND SUPPORT THE TROLLEY, THE FORCE OF SAID INCOMING TROLLEY DIRECTED AGAINST SAID SECOND HINGE MEANS CAUSING SAID QUADRILATERAL TO EXPAND AND SAID DIAGONAL TO CONTRACT, AND SAID BUFFERING MEANS RESISTING SAID CONTRACTIONS FOR CUSHIONING SAID FORCE. 